This invention relates to disk cartridges for storing electronic information, and more particularly, to a low cost storage device and to a method of making the same.
Removable disk cartridges for storing digital electronic information typically comprise an outer casing or shell that houses a magnetic, magneto-optical or optical disk upon which electronic information can be stored. The cartridge shell often comprises upper and lower halves that are joined together to house the disk. The disk is mounted on a hub that rotates freely within the cartridge. When the cartridge is inserted into a disk drive, a spindle motor in the drive engages with the disk hub in order to rotate the disk within the cartridge at a given speed. The outer shell of the cartridge typically has an aperture near one edge to provide the recording heads of the drive with access to the disk. A shutter or door mechanism is often provided to cover the aperture when the cartridge is not in use to prevent dust or other contaminants from entering the cartridge and settling on the recording surface of the disk.
Generally, the outer casing or shell that houses the disk is an expensive manufacturing component of the disk cartridge. Accordingly, it would be commercially advantageous to both the user and the manufacturer if one could buy and sell the shell and the storage medium contained therein separately. By buying separately, the overall cost to the consumer would be reduced because the user may reuse the expensive shell with different less expensive media. By selling separately, the manufacturer could decrease manufacturing cost and improve the overall profit margin.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a disk cartridge assembly in which consumers can separately purchase the shell and the storage media. The present invention satisfies this need.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus that satisfies the financial and technical needs of computer users by providing a disk cartridge assembly having a low cost storage medium insert and a reusable cartridge. A disk cartridge assembly having the features of the present invention comprises an outer shell and an insert. The insert has a sleeve and a rotatable storage medium inside the sleeve. The outer shell has an upper portion and a lower portion that can be opened and closed to allow insertion and removal of the insert. The outer shell is adapted for insertion into a disk drive unit.
The advantages of the invention combined with other attributes thereof will become more apparent upon consideration of the ensuing specification, particularly when considered in light of the attached drawings, directed towards particular embodiments of the invention but also illustrative of the underlying concepts thereof.